Written Answers Nos. 167-187
167. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare providers in County Louth signed up to Government core funding scheme in each of the years 2021 to 2025 respectively. [6680/26]
View answer168. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare providers in County Louth which withdrew from the Government's core funding scheme in each of the years 2021 to 2025 respectively. [6681/26]
View answer169. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare providers in County Louth which are currently signed up to the Government core funding scheme. [6682/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 167, 168 and 169 together.
In total, data from Pobal confirms that, as of 26 January, there are 113 providers operating in Co. Louth, 109 of whom are in receipt of Core Funding – representing a 96.46% county-wide take-up rate of Core Funding.
The table below provides a breakdown of Core Funding uptake and eligibility in Co. Louth at similar points in each year since Core Funding was launched in September 2022.
|
Date |
Contracted |
Eligible |
Uptake (percentage) |
|
30/01/2023 |
106 |
108 |
98% |
|
29/01/2024 |
107 |
109 |
98% |
|
27/01/2025 |
106 |
108 |
98% |
|
26/01/2026 |
109 |
113 |
96% |
In the interest of clarity, transparency and consistent reporting, I have defined a service that left Core Funding as any service that had a gap between contracts for Core Funding of 4 or more weeks. There are a number of reasons that a service might fall into this definition. For example, a service could have withdrawn from the scheme, been removed from the scheme for breach of rules, or experienced a delay in re-contracting following a change of circumstance application or between programme years. Many services have left and later re-joined the scheme. There may be a small number of services who left the scheme and subsequently closed at a later date and are not captured in the figures below.
The table below provides a breakdown of the services in Louth that left Core Funding in each programme year by county division. Some services may have left and rejoined multiple times across the three years, and therefore the figures cannot be summed across programme years from the breakdown below.
|
COUNTY DIVISION |
Year 1 (2022/2023) |
Year 2 (2023/2024) |
Year 3 (2024/2025) |
Year 4 (2025/2026) |
|
County Louth |
6 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
Uptake of Core Funding remains strong. As of 26 January, 4,599 have signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding which represents 93% of all eligible services. This is the highest number of Partner Services in Core Funding at any point since the scheme was launched in 2022 and the number continues to grow.
170. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare providers in County Louth which have sought supports through the existing case management process, where her Departments City/County Childcare Committees and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to services experiencing difficulties in 2025. [6683/26]
View answer22 unique services were discussed at Case Management meetings with a view to providing appropriate non-financial support throughout 2025. The Department did not receive any sustainability funding requests from Louth based services. As a result, no service provider based in Louth has received sustainability funding during this timeframe. While no service has been provided with sustainability funding, Louth County Childcare Committee (CCC) and Pobal work together to offer non-financial support to services. This support can take the form of assisting services with analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, general operational supports for Core Funding Partner services, as well as more specialised advice and assistance appropriate to individual circumstances. It is worth noting that most assistance provided to early learning and childcare services are provided by the CCC without referral from the Department.
Since 2017, the Department has offered Sustainability Funding to community early learning and childcare services in crisis. In 2018, a Sustainability Funding policy was formalised, and a framework was created which coupled this Sustainability Funding with on-the-ground case management assistance. The purpose of the supports within this framework were to provide emergency funding to community services where a need for funding was identified while also ensuring that the case management performed at a service level identified and resolved underlying issues that may have caused the initial crisis.
As part of the Case Management process, CCC assist services with issues and difficulties that arise. The CCC may refer Core Funding Partner services facing difficulties to Pobal and the Department to be considered for Sustainability Funding. Sustainability Funding is intended to prevent significant issues that threaten the viability of a service.
The Department encourages all services experiencing difficulties to contact their local CCC with a request for assistance, their CCC can advise on a range of issues and can provide assistance in accessing case management supports. Contact details for the CCC can be found online on gov.ie by searching City and County Childcare Committees.
171. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new early learning and childcare providers that have opened and closed since 2020 to-date in 2026, by county, by year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6731/26]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
172. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare places available for children between the ages of one and three, from 2020 to-date in 2026, in Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6732/26]
View answer174. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the locations of the community childcare facilities in County Wicklow; the capacity and age groups of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6734/26]
View answer175. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of community childcare facilities nationwide; the capacity and age group of each, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6735/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 172, 174 and 175 together.
Data is not available in the exact manner requested by the Deputy. The most closely aligning data available on capacity in County Wicklow is summarised below.
Each year, Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile. The most recent published capacity data for the 2024/25 programme year estimated that there were 6,968 children enrolled in ELC and SAC services in County Wicklow. This data also indicated that 51% of service providers in County Wicklow had at least one vacant place and 44%* had a waiting list. Table 1.1 below summarises the estimated number of enrolments and the number of private and community services by county, including an overall national total for the 2024/25 programme year.
Table 1.1
|
County Division |
ELC Estimated Enrolments |
SAC Estimated Enrolments |
Number of Community Services |
Number of Private Service Providers |
|
Carlow |
1,713 |
1,126 |
16 |
38 |
|
Cavan |
2,845 |
1,972 |
30 |
53 |
|
Clare |
3,474 |
2,359 |
37 |
116 |
|
Cork City |
5,805 |
2,808 |
47 |
124 |
|
Cork County |
11,033 |
5,991 |
88 |
300 |
|
Donegal |
5,886 |
3,321 |
76 |
103 |
|
Dublin - Dublin City |
15,692 |
6,797 |
135 |
301 |
|
Dublin - Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
7,097 |
3,587 |
26 |
173 |
|
Dublin - Fingal |
10,777 |
4,674 |
17 |
292 |
|
Dublin - South Dublin |
9,026 |
4,250 |
37 |
194 |
|
Galway |
8,836 |
7,880 |
79 |
243 |
|
Kerry |
4,558 |
3,488 |
52 |
102 |
|
Kildare |
8,345 |
3,742 |
8 |
188 |
|
Kilkenny |
3,242 |
1,634 |
29 |
72 |
|
Laois |
3,375 |
1,836 |
18 |
82 |
|
Leitrim |
982 |
1,101 |
25 |
15 |
|
Limerick |
6,214 |
4,792 |
51 |
176 |
|
Longford |
1,309 |
822 |
16 |
25 |
|
Louth |
4,024 |
1,793 |
19 |
90 |
|
Mayo |
3,738 |
2,714 |
55 |
86 |
|
Meath |
7,207 |
3,570 |
26 |
173 |
|
Monaghan |
2,570 |
2,224 |
41 |
26 |
|
Offaly |
2,192 |
929 |
14 |
60 |
|
Roscommon |
1,851 |
1,428 |
27 |
42 |
|
Sligo |
2,429 |
1,754 |
33 |
48 |
|
Tipperary |
5,350 |
4,856 |
39 |
155 |
|
Waterford |
3,585 |
2,047 |
35 |
65 |
|
Westmeath |
3,486 |
1,699 |
23 |
64 |
|
Wexford |
5,267 |
2,939 |
40 |
120 |
|
Wicklow |
5,184 |
1,784 |
20 |
141 |
|
Total |
157,092 |
89,917 |
1,159 |
3,667 |
ELC refers to all children aged zero to four years and non-school going children aged between four and six years. SAC refers to school going children aged between four and six years and all children over six years of age.
*It is important to note that waiting list data should not be used as a measure of overall demand for ELC places. While waiting list data can be used to give an indication of demand for places for a given age group or service type there is no centralised waiting list, each waiting list is managed at service level; an individual child may be on multiple waiting lists in different services and may remain on one or multiple service lists after taking up a place. Additionally, not all services operate a waiting list.
Estimated Enrolments for the 1+ to 3-Year-Old Cohort
Table 1.2 below summarises the estimated enrolments for children aged 1+ to 3 years old in Co. Wicklow.
Table 1.2
|
Programme Year |
Total Enrolments of 1+ to 3yr Cohort |
Total Services |
No. of Community Services |
No. of Private Services |
|
2021/2022 |
888 |
161 |
20 |
141 |
|
2022/2023 |
1,156 |
159 |
21 |
138 |
|
2023/2024 |
1,171 |
162 |
21 |
141 |
|
2024/2025 |
1,299 |
161 |
20 |
141 |
Community & Private Service Provider Breakdown
AEYSP data indicates that on 1 June 2025 there was a total of 4,826 ELC and SAC providers nationally, of which 1,159 were community providers and 3,667 were private providers In Wicklow, there was a total of 161 service providers, of which 20 were community providers and 141 private providers.
A list of services by location and community/private status is available using the ‘childcare search’ function on ncs.gov.ie. Pobal also produce an interactive map of Early Years Services on pobal.ie.
Further information on capacity can be found on the Early Learning and Childcare data website. The Capacity Section of the website provides information on the number of children enrolled, services with vacant places, and services with a waiting list. The Service Providers – Overview dashboard provides information on the number of service providers, with breakdowns such as the number of community and private providers.
173. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare providers that have pulled out of the core funding scheme since its introduction in 2021 to-date in 2026, by county, by year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6733/26]
View answerIn the interest of clarity, transparency and consistent reporting, I have defined a service that left Core Funding as any service that has a gap between contracts for Core Funding of 4 or more weeks. There are a number of reasons that a service might fall into this definition, for example a service could have withdrawn from the scheme, been removed from the scheme for breach of rules, or experienced a delay in re-contracting following a change of circumstance application or between programme years. Many services have left and later re-joined the scheme. There may be a small number of services who left the scheme and subsequently closed at a later date and are not captured in the figures below.
As of 3 November 2025, there were 5,035 services listed as being open on the Early Years Platform, of which 177 (4%) had left Core Funding at one point over the lifetime of the scheme to this date and continue to operate outside of this scheme. A further 415 services (8%) had left Core Funding at one point over the lifetime of the scheme to this date but later rejoined and were signed up to the fourth year of the scheme on this date. The overwhelming majority of services, 4,157 or 83%, have continued to participate in Core Funding from the date on which they first signed up to the scheme.
The table below provides a breakdown of the service that left Core Funding in each programme year by county division. Some services have left and rejoined multiple times across the years, and therefore the figures cannot be aggregated across programme years from the breakdown below.
|
COUNTY DIVISION |
Year 1 (2022/2023) |
Year 2 (2023/2024) |
Year 3 (2024/2025) |
Year 4 (2025/2026) |
|
Cork City |
2 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
|
County Carlow |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
County Cavan |
2 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
County Clare |
5 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
|
County Cork |
12 |
15 |
14 |
0 |
|
County Donegal |
12 |
9 |
17 |
0 |
|
County Galway |
24 |
30 |
16 |
1 |
|
County Kerry |
5 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
|
County Kildare |
11 |
11 |
7 |
0 |
|
County Kilkenny |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
County Laois |
5 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
County Leitrim |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
County Limerick |
6 |
11 |
2 |
0 |
|
County Longford |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
County Louth |
6 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
|
County Mayo |
7 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
|
County Meath |
4 |
13 |
16 |
0 |
|
County Monaghan |
0 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
County Offaly |
7 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
County Roscommon |
1 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
|
County Sligo |
0 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
|
County Tipperary |
12 |
14 |
3 |
0 |
|
County Waterford |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
County Westmeath |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
County Wexford |
4 |
11 |
6 |
2 |
|
County Wicklow |
2 |
12 |
3 |
0 |
|
Dublin City |
17 |
56 |
28 |
0 |
|
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown |
8 |
10 |
8 |
0 |
|
Fingal |
7 |
29 |
9 |
0 |
|
South Dublin |
9 |
17 |
8 |
0 |
|
TOTAL |
175 |
296 |
174 |
3 |
It should be noted in the context of the services tabulated above, over 70% of services have returned to participate in Core Funding as of 3 November 2025.
Uptake of Core Funding remains strong. As of 26 January, 4,599 have signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding which represents 93% of all eligible services. This is the highest number of Partner Services in Core Funding at any point since the scheme was launched in 2022 and the number continues to grow.
176. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTEs assigned to CDNT8, Chamber House in CHO7 each year since the formation of the team; and the number of those posts that were filled each year, in tabular form. [6768/26]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
177. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the process by which a childcare facility would apply to be acquired by the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6771/26]
View answerI recently announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings to provide State-led high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative. Capital funding will be used to acquire and/or fit out the building, depending on specific project requirements.
The capital programme will deliver additional supply of high-quality and accessible early learning and childcare to improve the supply of places, particularly for younger children and in disadvantaged/rural areas, and in line with public management policy goals.
It has the following objectives:
Objective 1: Deliver additional publicly subsidised supply for Early Learning and Care where required, with a focus on places for 1- to 3-year-olds and sufficient places for children to age up in the same service.
Objective 2: Deliver additional supply where required in areas of disadvantage and rural areas.
Objective 3: Ensure all supply delivered is inclusive and high quality.
Objective 4: Deliver supply in appropriate locations, taking account of accessibility for parents, links with other relevant services/amenities, appropriate land-use, and spatial planning goals.
Objective 5: Ensure cost-effectiveness and timeliness of delivery.
Objective 6: Support improved public management of the ELC sector as a whole.
This Department is assessing sites and buildings which align with the goals of the programme and, where required, will seek expressions of interest from operators to deliver these State-led services.
Local City and County Childcare Committees will be supporting the development of projects so in the first instance, community early learning and childcare operators, local authorities, developers, or others who might have a suitable premises or project should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee, whose details can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees/.
178. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTEs assigned to CDNT8 Chamber House in CHO7 each year since the formation of the team; and the number of those posts that were filled each year, in tabular form. [6781/26]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
179. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE physiotherapist posts, by grade, filled within Disability Services in CHO8 as of 20 January 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6821/26]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
180. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapist posts, by grade, filled within Disability Services in CHO8 as of 20 January 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6822/26]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
181. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the number of occupational therapists in County Meath for the period 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6789/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
182. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapists in primary care in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6790/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
183. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health to give attention to an issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6654/26]
View answerPrivate Hospitals are independent organisations and the range of services available, and the criteria for access to those services does not fall under the remit of the Department of Health.
184. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health for an update on the new framework agreements on the pricing and supply of medicines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6669/26]
View answerThe State has entered into Framework Agreements on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines with the pharmaceutical industry since the 1970s, bringing certainty and stability to the supply and pricing of medicines.
Two new Framework Agreements in principle have been reached with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) and Medicines for Ireland (MFI) on the pricing and supply of medicines. These landmark agreements reflect the Government’s commitment to ensuring timely access to innovative medicines for patients as well as supporting security of supply of medicines, reducing the risk of medicine shortages for patients while safeguarding the sustainability of the health service. The Agreements will run from 2026 to the end 2029.
At a time of uncertainty in international pharmaceutical policy, these Agreements, developed in close partnership between the State and the pharmaceutical sector, will support greater predictability and stability in respect of Ireland’s pharmaceutical and medicines supply.
Following reaching these Agreements in Principle, the parties will work to finalise the text of the new Agreements which will be published thereafter.
Further information can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-announces-new-framework-agreements-in-principle-with-irish-pharmaceutical-healthcare-association-ipha-and-medicines-for-ireland-mfi-on-supply-and-pricing-of-medicines/
185. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health the budget which has been provided to a group (details supplied) for 2026 from the HSE; the difference in funding from 2025 and 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6670/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
186. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if she plans to continue the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme into the future; the way in which the ongoing review by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) will inform long-term decisions on RSV immunisation; the expected timelines for the publication of HIQA’s full health technology assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6697/26]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee, (NIAC). The Committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation.
My Department has agreed the scope of the RSV Infant Immunisation Pathfinder Programme for 2026/2027, which will be the same as for the current season. That is, provision of RSV immunisation for babies born in-season and infants aged 6 months old or younger at the start of the RSV season, in line with NIAC advice.
A Health Technology Assessment, (HTA), specific to RSV immunisation for infants and adults is currently being undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Authority, (HIQA). A HTA looks at the clinical effectiveness, safety and cost of different health technologies. An economic evaluation is generally undertaken as part of a HTA and it compares the costs and benefits of different choices to guide resource optimisation.
The HIQA public consultation process closed on 20 January 2026. Following this consultation, the report will be finalised and submitted as advice to my Department. The outcome of the HTA will inform the development of any longer-term programme and future decision making specific to RSV immunisation in Ireland.
187. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Health if she will increase the qualifying income limits for a medical card in respect of those over 70 years, as these limits have not been increased since 2020 with no consideration allowed for any pro-rata public service pensions or State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6698/26]
View answerMedical Card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.
Persons aged 69 and under are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. Detailed guidelines are available at: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/applying/assessment/.
Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, it should be noted that those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high medical costs. Details are available at: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/other-types-of-medical-card/over-70s/.
In response to the Deputy’s reference to pensions, it is important to note that where a person's sole income is derived from a social protection payment, he/she will be awarded a medical card.
In addition, every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. In such circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, for example:
• Discretionary medical cards issued to patients with significant medical expenses but who do not satisfy the means test.
• Emergency medical cards are issued to patients that are terminally ill, or are seriously ill, and in urgent need of medical care that they cannot afford.
I can assure the Deputy that, in order to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any proposals are considered in the context of any potential broader implications for Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and legislative requirements arising.
